Black Walnut

sonicparke · #1 04-11-2003, 10:22 AM

If I had the opportunity to harvest a few large black walnut trees would it be worth my while? Does it make a good tonewood or not so much? Would it be marketable?

bradley dr20 · #2 04-11-2003, 10:58 AM

I don't know about Black Walnut, but Bruce Petros uses Wisconsin Walnut as his back/side wood of choice. That says something.

www.petrosguitars.com

catfreckles · #3 04-11-2003, 11:55 AM

Here in Northern California, I sell black (Claro) and english (grafted) walnut by the pound, so it takes a few truckloads to make any real money. Now the people who mill and dry it, make much more per pound than I do. The wood I sell goes to make guitars, gunstocks etc. I'm getting a Taylor grafted walnut, so in my humble opinion, it makes a good tonewood.

It also depends on the type, size and quality (grain) of the trees. I believe in your area, that most of the walnut is straight grained, and would be more likely made into furniture. If there's someone in your area who sells or mills logs, you might be able to sell a few locally to help fill up a truck. The big buyers are only going to come and look if you have something of very exceptional value.

Feel free to email me, and I could give you more details if you would like.

sonicparke · #4 04-11-2003, 12:39 PM

catfreckles,

Thanks for the info and offer. If it develops any more I will email you. Right now it's just a potential opportunity. I might just grab it and have it milled and keep it for some future projects. Who knows.

catfreckles · #5 04-11-2003, 12:48 PM

You're welcome.

A friend is milling the leftover logs for me. Still will make awesome furniture! Definitely not going into the firewood pile.

Guitar Dad · #6 04-11-2003, 12:56 PM

I have 3 or 4 black walnut trees on my property as well. One of them is too close to the road, and will have to come down. If I want a local luthier to make a guitar out of some of this wood (at least back & sides with it), do I have to do anything special with the logs once they are down?

I also have a really nice spruce tree, but that's stays.

Yoda · #7 04-11-2003, 12:57 PM

A good black walnut, straight grained, no low limbs, can bring big bucks on the veneer market. I is also pretty widely used for things as mentioned above. Check with Kelly Hardwoods in Tulsa. They're a small shop near downtown, off of 7th and Peoria. They might be able to give you some info on possible buyers.

Yoda

catfreckles · #8 04-11-2003, 01:12 PM

Guitar Dad,

The ends of the logs have to be sealed right away, and it's not a good idea to leave them laying around for very long.

I'm not a luthier, but I would talk to your local one, and find out the procedure, and if the tree has a big enough diameter, what he likes for sealing, if he mills the wood. All of that factors into the end cost of the guitar, or lumber.

Guitar Dad · #9 04-11-2003, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by catfreckles
Guitar Dad,

The ends of the logs have to be sealed right away, and it's not a good idea to leave them laying around for very long.

I'm not a luthier, but I would talk to your local one, and find out the procedure, and if the tree has a big enough diameter, what he likes for sealing, if he mills the wood. All of that factors into the end cost of the guitar, or lumber.

Thanks. This is helpful. Now I have a better sense of what to ask.

I have a local guy in mind, but we haven't chatted about it. I'd actually like to hold onto the tree as long as possible, but it's beginning to bend towards the road a bit, and it may soon begin to interfere with my satellite receiver reception...

My wife will want to know this...if I supply the wood for the back & sides (assuming a spruce top here), will that save any costs (all other things held the same)? Or, will the cost savings from the lumber supply be offset by the luthier's need to dry the wood, etc.?

BTW, I've played a few Taylor walnut guitars, and they sound fantastic. I played a W14 with a walnut top & a clear pickguard that I still can't get out of my mind...

sonicparke · #10 04-11-2003, 01:26 PM

Thanks, Yoda.

So are you in Tulsa or what?

muzz76 · #11 04-11-2003, 02:46 PM

I have an Englemann/Black Walnut OOO~12fret that Marc Beneteau built for me. IMO, its an excellent Back/Side tonewood and also very suitable for neck material.

Its more straight grained than the Claro variety, almost looks like a lighter colored rosewood. Very nice though and displays some cross silking when well quartered.

The material used for my guitar well felled in the late sixties so was very well aged, and, incedently was intended originally for use in a veneer mill.

I'm not sure how marketable it is.

catfreckles · #12 04-11-2003, 02:49 PM

Originally posted by Guitar Dad
[QUOTE]...if I supply the wood for the back and sides... will that save any costs?[QUOTE]

Well, you could have the pride of saying, this guitar came from my tree!

If your tree had really killer wood in it, you might be able to make a trade with whoever mills it, giving them the rest of the log, so that it didn't cost you anything to have it processed.

So, how's that, yes, no, maybe.

I would definitely say talk to your local luthier, because in my experience, processing the wood and making the guitar, costs more than the raw wood.

Bike Mike · #13 04-11-2003, 04:48 PM

The very idea of having a guitar made from a tree from my property would have me justifying a larger than normal expense.
I love the idea! I just don't have any special trees.
If the walnut tree (or whatever) didn't have a very special grain I would'nt care... I would take a jillion pictures of the tree and area around it beforehand and then 'go for it'!
Ah... anybody want to make me a guitar out of Live Oak, with a Juniper (cedar) front?

Mike

catfreckles · #14 04-11-2003, 06:18 PM

It would make as nice a guitar as those fancy pallet guitars everyone is talking about.

Yoda · #15 04-11-2003, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sonicparke
Thanks, Yoda.

So are you in Tulsa or what?

Oh, yeah. Just retired from the parks dept. last year. BTW, played a nice selection at Guitar House t'other day. One Koa, one walnut (nice!) and a pretty nice 714. Try an ES guitar through their set-up. It gives you a pretty good idea of what it should sound like.

Dad..... bottom line is that supplying your own wood won't save you much money. I'm guessing (subject to wood type, of course, that there's less than $400 wood cost in most guitars. Or I may not know what I'm talking about....

Yoda